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Smiling African American waitress wearing casual t shirt and apron standing at counter in cozy coffee shop with female customer while serving hot drink and looking at each otherThe industry realises that it has to “grow its own” workforce, so there has never been a better opportunity for young people to embrace the opportunity to work in the sector, access formal training and gain skills that will set them up for life regardless of what pathway they take.”

This initiative is designed to achieve real, transformative outcomes for Australian people – to inspire people to undertake active, participative education and training that VET provides, resulting in skills that can realise immediate rewards in jobs and success and contribute to building our economy.”

The vision of National Skills Week is to raise awareness of the diversity of careers that can be realised through vocational education and training, the skills for an economically viable future, and the incredible range of new jobs and skills in demand for the future.

A key objective of National Skills Week is to identify and highlight industries with the most in-demand jobs of the future, as well as sectors forecast to see the biggest growth in coming years, to ensure Australians can gain the training and education they need to secure those jobs and maintain stable long-term employment.

“This will ensure our young people, yet to start careers, can gain training and skills in education which will secure them a job at the end of that training.

“National Skills Week plays a pivotal role in strengthening and communicating the key messages of industry and government in an environment shaped by the fluid nature of skills requirements and ever-evolving technologies,” said Mr Wexham.

This year’s Week will be centred around ‘A Universe of Skills, ’ encouraging people to go beyond their imagination to discover careers, pathways and opportunities in skills and Vocational Education that they may not know about or even imagined.

“Further, it will assist in funnelling Australia’s labour market into the training opportunities which will most likely lead to their employment, i.e. the most in-demand jobs of the future.

Now moving into its twelfth year, National Skills Week 2022 is being held this year, August 22 to 28, inviting Australians to explore the Universe of Skills on offer through Vocational Education and Training.

Mr Wexham said school leavers, job seekers, parents and career changers must be informed of the future jobs and what Australia’s most critical skills shortages and job needs are.

SkillsIQ Chief Executive Officer Yasmin King says: “The great opportunity from working in the Hospitality sector is that you are working in an international industry – there is no limit to where you can work in the world.

Mr Wexham said: “The hospitality industry is incredibly diverse, and Australian consumers have embraced the growing ‘foodie’ culture, with our tastes around food, drink, accommodation and experiences becoming more sophisticated.

“Employment figures for the accommodation sector fell dramatically between 2019 and 2020 – from 105,000 to 76,400 respectively.

“Having worked in the sector, you can demonstrate the most sought-after employability skills in ANY job, including communication, customer service, problem-solving and working as part of a team.

National Skills Week’s Chairman Brian Wexham says hospitality employment opportunities have been slow to fill this year despite Australian border restrictions being loosened and the industry recovering. Thankfully, all hospitality-related occupations are projected to show growth to 2025, with the strongest growth expected to be sales assistants (25 percent), waiters (18 per cent) and chefs (16 per cent)” Key occupations include café and restaurant managers, retail managers, bar attendants and baristas, café workers, waiters, sales assistants, receptionists, and Hotel and Motel Managers.

All you need to know about National Skills Week 2022:

 When:                                     August 22-28, 2022

 Purpose:                                To raise awareness of the myriad of rewarding, lucrative and prestigious career pathways available via vocational education and training

 Key message:                        A skilled workforce leads to an employed workforce.    

 Theme:                                   ‘A Universe of Skills: Go beyond your imagination. Discover careers, pathways and opportunities in skills and Vocational Education that you may not know about, thought about or even imagined.

National Skills Week is supported by the Australian Government’s National Careers Institute.

For further information, visit nationalskillsweek.com.au.

Written by: Matthew Thomas